Ingersoll 'not a willing host' for Toronto's garbage

The mayor of a town east of London, Ont. is speaking out against the possibility of a new landfill for Toronto's garbage.

Canada's largest city is searching for a site for a second landfill, as the current site used by the city fills up. Public Works officials hope to extend the life of the Green Lane Landfill, located near London, Ont. but owned by the City of Toronto.

The city's plan is to minimize the amount of trash sent to the landfill over the next several years, though the committee has yet to provide specific details of its plan.

A strategy that has been suggested previously is diverting trash to private landfills to slow the flow of trash to Green Lane and allow for expansion of the property.

One of the locations being considered is a quarry in Ingersoll, Ont., a town approximately 40 kilometres east of London, and 150 kilometres southwest of Toronto.

Mayor Ted Comiskey addressed the city during a meeting Tuesday, telling officials that the members of his town don't want Toronto's trash.

"I do not want Toronto's garbage in my back yard and neither do my neighbouring municipalities," Comiskey said in a statement.

The meeting also heard from others, including members of the Toronto Environmental Alliance, Citizens for a Safe Environment, Stop Plastics and Urban Street Organic.

The meeting held Tuesday was part of a month-long consultation period, where the city will be taking feedback from affected parties.

The final waste strategy will be presented to the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee at their meeting in June. It will then go to city council for a vote. If approved, implementation would begin in the fall.